Upcoming Tour, and other questions

[OwenRees]

Hi Swarb and everyone. My first post here. I've done some searching but haven't found anything related to these, so sorry if there is any cross-posting.

What can we expect from your next tour Swarb? I should be seeing you at The Croft in Bristol. Will you be playing on your own or with others?
Also, I know it's as yet some time off, but is there any estimated date for the publication of your biography?
Furthermore, why did you sing slightly different lyrics for Sir Patrick Spens than Sandy had? You sang "Last night I saw the new moon clear, with the old moon in her hair."...whereas Sandy sang it, "Last night I saw the new moon, with the old moon in her arm."
Also, have you ever played with the Dubliners? How do you think traditional Irish folk music compares with modern English folk?

[Swarb]

artistic licence as far as the words are concerned, I think mine are pretty well straight from "childs ballads" whilst sandy's at a guess are more hers than Childs. heaven knows what the solo tour will be like , will talk and play and play it by ear, going to have a stab at singing with my half a voice, in the words of that great old testament prophet  Ezikiel F>>k it.  played lots of times with the dubliners in the old days. Luke was a great friend and we spent a lot of time together in brum. all the music of these islands cross over, with the same tunes in each others traditions. Of course each country also has many songs and tunes particular to their own country too. Ireland took greater care of their's and more of the ordinary folk were and are involved in it. The quaint tag that popular celebrities and personalities  hang on english music is a disgrace and they should know better.Ireland has never suffered from the pillock syndrome.

[Pat Watson]

Swarb,

Glad to hear that you'll be singing. Your interpretation of the old testement is quite unique. You might consider a second career as a Sunday school teacher.

Pat

[Swarb]

thanks, the only thing I turn down lately is my collar

[koho (Koen)]

Ireland has never suffered from the pillock syndrome.

I frequented Ireland quite a lot in the early 90s and was pleasantly surprised how Christy Moore is nothing less than a superstar over there. I distincly remember a mega billboard at Rosslare harbour, of the kind one would advertise, say, Madonna over here with, and it was for a Christy Moore concert in some arena in Dublin.
I was equally pleasantly surprised how a couple of Very Irish pub musicians - who were extremely good, which isn't always the case - launched into the Fairport arrangement of Matty Groves somewhere in an old pub in a Co. Cork hamlet.
The Irish' fixation with really bad country music, played in many pubs, baffles me though.

[Swarb]

me too, same as glasgow isnt it.

[Jules Gray]

going to have a stab at singing with my half a voice, in the words of that great old testament prophet  Ezikiel F>>k it.  

 

I'm made up, Swarb!  Me and the good lady will be visiting friends in Dulwich in March, and we're all trooping along to see you there.

Jules

[Swarb]

good to see you all whenever, the vocals are not panning out as hoped, consultation this morning was dissapointing, but not over yet.

[Jules Gray]

good to see you all whenever, the vocals are not panning out as hoped, consultation this morning was dissapointing, but not over yet.

   Fingers crossed for you!

Jules

[OwenRees]

I'm pretty sure the tour will be great regardless of whether you can sing. I'm glad to hear that you're improving.

I also wanted to ask: have you ever met or performed with Donovan or Dylan? Do you think Dylan plays up his eccentricities or is genuinely insane?

[Swarb]

I dont regard Dylan as eccentric at all,considering his fame i think he has remained disturbingly sane, we all like a drink, and so on and on, and all of us if put under the media microscope would be lucky to come out of it as well as he has done.I consider Dylan a gift from God,the foremost singer,writer, poet of my generation,never met him.On the other hand we have Donavon, from the sublime to the cor blime, and yes i did briefly meet him on a tv show moons ago.

[davidmjs]

I dont regard Dylan as eccentric at all,considering his fame i think he has remained disturbingly sane, we all like a drink, and so on and on, and all of us if put under the media microscope would be lucky to come out of it as well as he has done.I consider Dylan a gift from God,the foremost singer,writer, poet of my generation,never met him.On the other hand we have Donavon, from the sublime to the cor blime, and yes i did briefly meet him on a tv show moons ago.

Well said, Swarb...on all counts.  

[Swarb]

thanks

[Pat Watson]

Hi Swarb,

Any more thought being given to a US tour this year?

Thanks,


Pat

[Swarb]

have thought a lot about it, and would love to tour the usa, trouble is ,getting a visa is so terribly difficult that even long term states touring people like martin Carthy have all but given up.Not only is the getting of a visa to work almost bloody impossible,taking days of hard work,interviews etc,but the cost is prohibitive, even if one is just overflying the states and not landing there the cost runs into over a thousand dollars ,or will do. So untill things lighten up the answer is no.Might come over for a holiday and bring the fiddle though.

[Pat Watson]

I think a holiday would be in order. You need a vacation don't you. Make sure you clean those old ''ashes'' out of the fiddle before you go through security.

Pat

[Swarb]

will do